This invention relates to a connector assembly for releasably connecting two portions. The two portions to be releasably connected together may be parts of a single object or portions of two separate objects.
There have been a variety of proposals for connector assemblies for releasably connecting two portions together. Typically, the connector assemblies comprise a female connector element comprising a locking cavity defined within a locking jaw structure having two opposed locking teeth inwardly directed with respect to a locking cavity, and a male connector element having a head of barb shape in cross-section, the arrangement being that the head of the male connector element is receivable within the locking cavity of the female connector element with the wings of the barb in locking engagement with the locking teeth of the jaw structure. In this way, the barbed head is seated within the locking cavity and withdrawal is resisted by the jaw structure. A separating force applied between the male and female connector elements is resisted by the barbs of the head locking against the locking teeth of the jaw structure. Typical examples of such connector assemblies are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,843 (Lynch), U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,672 (Tominoga et al), U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,649 (Ausnit), U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,998 (Laguenne) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,298 (Ausnit et al). The ability of such connector assemblies to transfer loads between the male and female connector elements depends entirely on the strength of the barbs and locking teeth.
Where the connector assembly is in the form of a sliding fastener which provides lengthwise assembly, there is a need for the connector elements to have some longitudinal flexibility. The need for longitudinal flexibility can adversely impact on the strength of the barbs and locking teeth, and hence on the ability of the connector assembly to resist a separating force applied thereto.
It is against this background that the present invention has been developed.
The present invention provides a connector assembly comprising a male connector element having a locking shank and a female connector element having a locking cavity with an external opening, the locking shank being receivable in the locking shank through the external opening, the male connector element presenting a male contact face and the female connector element presenting a female contact face, the male and female connector element being configured for interaction therebetween with the contact faces in abutting engagement when the locking shank is received in the locking recess to resist a separating force applied between the male and female connector elements, said interaction between the male and female connector elements being provided at spaced apart locations lengthwise along the shank.
Preferably, the interaction between the male and female connector elements is provided by a series of complementary ridges and recesses at spaced intervals along the contact faces.
The ridges may be provided on the female connector element and the complementary recesses may be provided in the male connector element.
The recesses may be separated by a plurality of spaced locking ribs projecting from the respective contact face. Each locking rib may present a locking face facing away from the free end of the shank and disposed at an acute angle with respect to the contact face.
The ridges may be separated by locking grooves of complementary configuration to the locking ribs.
One of the connector elements has a first engagement means for engagement with a second engagement means on the other connector element whereby the application of the separating force between the two connector elements urges one of the two contact faces towards the other contact face thereby to enhance interaction between the connector elements.
Preferably, the first and second engagement means are adapted to provide pivotal engagement between the connector elements.
The first engagement means may comprise a tooth formation and the second engagement means may comprise a tooth recess configured to pivotally receive the tooth formation.
Preferably, the contact faces each have at least a section thereof disposed with respect to the line of action of the separating force.
The locking cavity within the female connector element may comprise a locking channel and two contact faces, one disposed on each longitudinal side of the channel. The complementary locking shank presenting two contact faces, one each longitudinal side of the elongate shank.
Such an arrangement is particularly suitable where the connector assembly is adapted for connecting two longitudinal edge portions together lengthwise.
In another arrangement, the male connector may comprise a spigot presenting an outer circumferential contact face and the female connector element may comprise a socket for receiving the spigot and presenting an inner circumferential contact face. Such an arrangement is particularly suitable where the connector assembly is adapted for connecting two end portions together in end-to-end relation.
Preferably, the locking cavity is adapted to expand to receive the locking shank and to contract upon the locking shank received therein.
The locking cavity may be defined between two jaw sections movable relative to each other for expanding and contracting the locking cavity.
Conveniently the jaw sections are biased towards a closed condition corresponding to contraction of the cavity.
The female connector element may be formed of resiliently deformable material whereby the jaw sections are biased towards the closed condition by virtue of the resiliently deformable nature of the female connector element.
In another arrangement, the jaw sections may be pivotally connected with respect to each other and a biasing means provided for biasing the jaws towards the closed condition.
In still another arrangement, the jaw sections may be pivotally connected with respect to each other and a retaining means provided for retaining the jaws in the closed condition.
The male and female connector elements may each be of elongate form and longitudinally flexible. In such a case, the fastener assembly may further comprise a slider for moving the connector elements into and out of interaction with each other.
The slider may be provided with means for progressively expanding the locking channel as the slider moves with respect to the female connector element to facilitate admission of the shank of the male connector element into the locking channel.
The expanded portion of the locking channel can subsequently contract to engulf the portion of the shank received therein as the slider proceeds along the female connector element. The expanded portion of the locking channel can contract either under the influence of the resiliently deformable nature of the female connector element, or under the influence of the slider, or under both influences.
The present invention also provides a connector assembly comprising two connector elements each having a contact face adapted for abutting engagement with the contact face of the other, the connector elements being configured for interaction therebetween when the contact faces are in abutting engagement to resist a separating force applied between the two connector elements, one of the connector elements having a first engagement means for engagement with a second engagement means on the other connector element whereby the application of a separating force between the two connector elements urges one of the two contact faces towards the other contact face thereby to enhance interaction between the connector elements.
Preferably, the first and second engagement means are adapted to provide pivotal engagement between the connector elements.
The first engagement means may comprise a tooth formation and the second engagement means may comprise a tooth recess configured to pivotally receive the tooth formation.
Preferably, the contact faces each have at least a section thereof disposed obliquely with respect to the line of action of the separating force.
While in most applicators it is likely that each connector element would have only a first engagement means or a second engagement means, there are certain applications where each connector element has both first and second engagement means. In such applications, the first engagement means may be provided adjacent one end of the contact face and the second engagement means provided adjacent an opposed end of the contact face.
One of the connector elements may comprise a male connector element and the other connector element may comprise a complementary female connector element.
Each connector element is preferably elongate and extends along one longitudinal side of an elongate section of flexible material. The first connector element may be provided in a male configuration with the second connector element provided in a complementary female configuration.
The first and second connector elements may further have complementary longitudinal ridges and recesses provided thereon and arranged such that force applied to pull same apart acts to strengthen the grip of the second connector element about the first connector element.
The invention also provides a connector assembly for releasably connecting together two elongate edge sections, the connector means comprising first and second connector elements of complementary configuration, said first connector element being adapted for attachment to one of the two elongate edge sections and having an opening in opposed relation to said one of the two elongate edge sections, a channel portion having a pair of opposed sides in spaced apart relationship and extending inwardly from said opening to define a locking cavity, the opposed sides having opposed inner faces confronting the locking cavity, containing a first engaging means and converging towards the other of the opposed sides in a direction away from the opening, said second connector element being adapted for attachment to the other of the two elongate edge sections and including a head portion adapted to be received in the locking cavity of the channel portion of the first connector element, the head portion having opposed side faces converging towards each other in a direction away from the other elongate edge section, each face being provided with a second engaging means, whereby the second engaging means engages with the first engaging means when the head portion is received within the cavity and releasable secures the second connector element to the first connector element, whereby such may be pressed together and force applied to pull such apart acts to strengthen the group therebetween, with the connector elements requiring an unpeeling or unzipping action to separate same.
The invention also provides a connector assembly for releasably connecting together two elongate edge sections, the connector means comprising first and second elongate connector elements of complementary configuration, said first connector element being adapted for attachment to one of the two elongate edge sections and having two jaw sections defining an opening in opposed relation to said one of the two elongate edge sections and a channel portion having a pair of opposed sides in spaced apart relationship and extending inwardly from said opening to define a locking cavity, the opposed sides having opposed inner faces confronting the locking cavity, containing a first engaging means and converging towards the other of the opposed sides in a direction away from the opening, said second connector element being adapted for attachment to the other of the two elongate edge sections and including a head portion adapted to be received in the locking cavity of the channel portion of the first connector element, the head portion having opposed side faces converging towards each other in a direction away from the other elongate edge section, each face being provided with a second engaging means, the free end of each jaw section being adapted to pivotally engage with the head portion when the latter is received in the locking cavity the second engaging means engaging with the first engaging means when the head portion is received within the locking cavity and releasable secures the second connector element to the first connector element, whereby such may be progressively pressed together along the length thereof and force applied to pull such apart acts to strengthen the group therebetween, with the connector elements requiring an unpeeling or unzipping action to separate same.
Preferably, a formation is provided adjacent the free end of each jaw section for engaging with a complementary formation on the head to provide said pivotal engagement between the jaw section and the head. The formation on the jaw section may comprise a tooth formation and the complementary formation on the head may comprise a recess to receive the tooth formation.
Typically, inter-engagement between each tooth formation and the corresponding tooth recess provides a pivot about which the respective jaw sections can pivot under the influence of a separating force applied to the connector elements so as to urge the jaw sections inwardly. This enhances the interlocking action.
The invention also provides a connector assembly for releasably connecting together two elongate edge sections, the connector means comprising first and second connector elements of complementary configuration, said first connector element being adapted for attachment to one of the longitudinal edges and the second connector element being adapted for attachment to the other of the longitudinal edges, the first connector element comprising a body having two jaw sections defining an opening in opposed relation to said one longitudinal edge and a channel portion extending inwardly from said opening to define a locking cavity, the channel portion having a pair of opposed sides in spaced apart relationship, the opposed sides having opposed inner faces confronting the locking cavity, each opposed side containing a first engaging means and converging towards the other of the opposed sides in a direction away from the opening to terminate at one end of a slit extending into the body in the direction away from the opening, a hinge being provided at the other end of the slot to facilitate movement of the two jaw sections towards and away from each other, said second connector element comprising a head portion adapted to be received in the locking cavity of the channel portion of the first connector element, the head portion having opposed side faces converging towards each in a direction away from the other longitudinal edge, each face being provided with a second engaging means, whereby the second engaging means engages with the first engaging means when the head portion is received within the recess and releasably secures the second connector element to the first connector element, whereby such may be pressed together and force applied to pull such apart acts to strengthen the grip therebetween, with the connector elements requiring an unpeeling or unzipping action to separate same. Preferably, the slot terminates at a hole.
The invention is particularly suitable for connecting two longitudinal edge portions together lengthwise in the manner of a zipper. In such a case, the longitudinal edge portions may be two opposed marginal edges of a flexible sheet, with the connector assembly providing a way of connecting the two marginal edges together.
The invention is not, however, limited to connecting longitudinal edge portions together. The invention may, for example, be used to connect end portions together. In such a case, the end portions may be the ends of an elongate element such as a belt, cable, rope or the like, with the connector assembly providing a way of connecting the ends of the elongate elements together in the manner of a clasp such as a buckle.